The present invention relates to ladder structure and more particularly to a unique accessory to be mounted on a rung of a ladder between the rung supporting spaced side rails thereof to position the ladder in stand-off position from the wall surface of a construction.
Stand-off accessories utilizing an extension arm fastened at one end to a ladder and having a pad member mounted at the opposite end to rest against a wall surface structure are generally well known in the ladder art. Such an arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,842, issued to D. L. Southern on Jul. 5, 1988, wherein a pair of extension arms have corresponding ends engaging in the corresponding tops of spaced side rails of a ladder section with spaced pads pivotally mounted at the corresponding opposite ends of the extension arm pair to rest against a wall surface. Attention further is directed to U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,113,973 and 5,121,814, both issued to D. L. Southern on May 19, 1992 and Jun. 16, 1992, respectively, each patent disclosing a lateral or horizontally extending brace of U-shape to include a base section engageably fastened to the spaced side rails and rung therebetween of a ladder section, the spaced arms of the U-shaped brace having their respective side arm ends pivotally support a pair of spaced wall resting pads. Finally, attention is directed to the R. D. Werner Co., Greenville, Pa. 16125 bulletin, disclosing a "TRUE GRIP".RTM. Model No. 17 stand-off arrangement, which arrangement does not include a lateral or horizontal U-shaped brace but which utilizes a pair of spaced extension arms having spaced rest pads pivotally mounted at one pair of spaced corresponding ends with the opposite ends also engaging both the spaced side rails and the rung therebetween to be fastened to the ladder section for support.
These aforedescribed ladder stand-off accessories have been comparatively complex to manufacture, assemble and maintain, and have presented a limited wall surface contact area. The unique and novel structure of the present invention is straightforward and economical to manufacture, assemble and maintain, requiring a minimum of parts and shipping space, yet assuring stable stand-off accessory support with a maximum of wall surface contact. At the same time, the structure of the present invention, which can be readily adapted to rungs of different cross-sectional configuration, assures proper parts assembly with controlled pad pivoting action and with extended wall surface contact. Further, the present invention provides a unique, readily assembled rung clamping structure, requiring a minimum of clamping parts and, at the same time, assuring a stable, positive and firm connection of the stand-off accessory with rungs of different cross-sectional contour.
Various other features of the present invention will become obvious to one skilled in the art upon reading the disclosure set forth herein.